PANAJI: Indian police on Friday investigated a federal government minister’s complaint that a niche boutique in the southwestern resort of Goa had a closed-circuit TV looking into a changing room where she was trying out clothes. Police officer Nilesh Rane said Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani was in the store on Friday when one of her assistants infor­­med her about the camera, whi­ch the officer said was aim­ed th­r­ough the chan­­­ging room’s ven­ti­­lator.

The store is in the beach village of Candolim, popular with international tourists. The camera was found to be recording customers inside the room, a police officer said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to reporters. Rane said some arrests are likely on charges of outraging the modesty of a woman, which carry a maximum prison sentence of two years.

Michael Lobo, a state lawmaker belonging to Irani’s governing Bharatiya Janta Party, told reporters that the camera had recorded footage of “women changing clothes over the past three to four months”.

Complaints of hidden changing room cameras have pouring in from around India. “Not just this boutique. All stores with such a facility must be investigated,” opposition Congress party spokesman Durgadas Kamat demanded.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2015

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